northernlightenment: 3 things, Iceland

This was a good week in Iceland for three reasons. First, I finished my level 1 Icelandic class. It means that I don't have to endure two and a half hours of incomprehensible grammar twice a week. Sadly, it doesn't mean that I can speak Icelandic.

Just like a degree - looks good on paper but is useless in the real world

Icelandic Class of '08, Farskólinn

Second, I got to see some fishes from the sea on Wednesday, including two monstrous Greenland Sharks. This is what Icelanders make Hárkarl (putrefied shark meat) out of. In typical Icelandic fashion, some old geezer pulls up in a family wagon towing a trailer - on to which he loads two of the 4 or 5 tonne beasts from the deep. Looks like there will be no shortage of this quote unquote 'delicacy' at the traditional feast in February.

Hjalp!

Greenland Sharks are used to make Hákarl

Load 'em up lads

Third, I took Friday off work to go snowboarding on Tindastoll - the local ski area. The weather and the snow were flippin' perfect. The hill has an approximately 800m long pommel which pulls you up a decent kind of a slope in about 6-7 minutes. Once at the top you have a number of lines to choose from; varying from groomed snow, 1-2 feet of powder, rock filled canyons or off trail. The best thing though, was that there were only 7 other people there that day. I ran fresh powdery lines for 3 hours, and all for less than the price of a dozen beers.